During the last two weeks Chandra completed the observing schedule as
planned.

Real-time procedures were executed on Dec 25 to dump OBC-B memory as a
follow-up to the patch uplink performed on Dec 23. The dump will be
used to update the baseline memory image maintained on the ground.

A real-time procedure was executed on Jan 6 to perform a routine
self-check of the Electrical Interface Assembly (EIA) Sequencer.

Preparations are complete for the winter 2016 eclipse season; the
season contains six eclipses and runs from Jan 8 to 22. Real-time
procedures were executed on Jan 7 to prepare for the first eclipse:
one to activate SCS 29 and one to dump and clear the EPS glitch
counters.

A Chandra press release was issued on Jan 5 describing observations of
the supermassive black hole at the center of the nearby galaxy
NGC 5195. This is one of the nearest supermassive black holes to Earth
with active powerful outbursts that has yet been discovered. Such
outbursts are part of the "feedback" process that is important to the
evolution of the black hole and its host galaxy. Two arcs in the X-ray
data suggest separate eruptions from the black hole occurred millions
of years ago. For details see:
http://chandra.si.edu/press/16_releases/press_010516.html

A Chandra press release was issued on Jan 6 as a CU-Boulder press
release describing observations of a recently discovered black hole,
which does not have the expected number of stars surrounding it. The
galaxy SDSS J1126+2944 is the result of a merger between two smaller
galaxies, which brought together a pair of supermassive black
holes. One of the black holes is surrounded by a typical amount of
stars, but the other black hole is strangely “naked” and has a much
lower number of associated stars than expected. For details see:
http://chandra.si.edu/press/16_releases/press_010616.html

A Chandra press release was issued on Jan 7 describing observations of
IDCS J1426.5+3508, an extremely distant massive cluster of
galaxies. This is the most massive galaxy cluster detected at such an
early epoch in the Universe. X-rays from Chandra confirmed the
cluster's mass and showed that about 90% of that mass is in the form
of dark matter. For details see:
http://chandra.si.edu/press/16_releases/press_010716.html